Coating resins have been used for many years to coat metallic substrates. The coating resins are designed to provide corrosion resistance, to provide mechanical properties to the substrate, to effect the physical characteristics of the substrate, or to change the appearance of the substrate. Typically the coating resins are organic polymers and the substrates are metallic. Often cross-linking molecules are used to cross-link polymer chains in the resin thereby effecting its interaction with the substrate. Sometimes inorganic compounds are used in the coating process to enhance the interactions between the coating resin and the substrate. Typically the treatments comprise a pre-treatment with a phosphate solution followed by a chromate conversion coating. In addition, these typical treatments also require very acidic conditions. There is currently a desire to replace the inorganic compounds phosphate and the chromates due to concerns about their environmental impact. In addition, it is desirable to enhance the binding of coating resins to substrates especially using organic compounds. Finally, it is desirable to develop polyfunctional bridging molecules that are able to bind to the resin and to the substrate at neutral or alkaline pH.